I'm just checking in because of complaints.

I'm battling an ear/sinus thing that makes me feel like I'm perpetually at that point in an airplane flight where your ears feel like they're going to burst and every sound comes through a bubble. Despite some some pretty good, creepy fever dreams, the highlight of my day yesterday was waking up at 3 p.m. with all three cats curled up against me. I'd like to think they just wanted to be near me, but they've gotten much cuddlier since it snowed.

We'll be prepping, sanding, painting this weekend (if my body cooperates) instead of traveling to Kentucky. You all will just have to have a good time for us.

The highlights of the past two weeks:
Highlight and lowlight: saying a very sad good-bye to friend and co-worker Jeronimo and trying to dance salsa with him without stepping on his feet too many times. Why is it that none of non-latino guys were willing to try salsa dancing? Highlight: a matinee of Master and Commander. Swashbuckling! Can't American audiences take having the U.S. as bad guys in a movie? I'm glad I didn't know about the change until after the movie.
Highlight: buying bright, bright colored paint, polyurethane (for refinishing the floors) and other supplies for major house decorating projects. It's only taken us two years to agree on colors for our living room.

This was just passed to me to share with our shelter dinner groups and post on our website. I thought I'd share it with you since it's a good list and most shelters would probably like to get similar donations for the holidays. (Just a little nudge to think globally and act locally.)

Holiday Wish List for Shelter Guests

Backpacks and duffle bags
T-Shirts
Kmart or Target gift cards
Passes to downtown movie theaters
Jogging suits (generally larger sizes)
A holiday card with a $5.00 bill inside
Phone cards for U.S., Central America, or Africa
Food items: beef jerky, gum or mints, oranges and bananas
Bus tokens and cards
Fast food gift certificates
Watches
Flannel pajama pants (for men and women)
Heavy duty slippers (for men and women)
Hats, mittens, scarves (for men and women)
Long underwear (for men and women)

The mystery of the missing baby clothes has been solved, not in the way I would have liked to have solved it, with the clothes going to the family with the new male baby for which it was intended, but with the clothes going somewhere tax deductible where they'll be used and appreciated at least. Said gift bag of clothes somehow got put in a large bag of donations for my employer, also given to us at the wedding, and ended up here at work where they were quickly dispersed to a family in our transitional housing program. Having heard the story, some have remarked that entrusting tasks like this to people on their wedding day is like entrusting them to crack addicts. Having known a few crack addicts who would have lived up to their responsibility makes me think this analogy is faulty. (Of course, I have known a few crack addicts who would have tried to sell the clothes just like anything else that found its way to them when they were short on funds and in need.) My apologies to those involved, especially you, Isaiah.

Per a couple requests, I was going to describe some of the highlights of my World Fantasy Convention experience but don't really feel like it now. I found out today that one of the women I've worked with over the years in the shelter died this week. I guess she was sleeping outside with some friends after an evening of drinking and choked to death on her own vommit. My only consolation is that the last time I saw her, I had time to stop and really talk to her. She was an incredibly sweet woman despite frequent abuse and her chemical dependency. When I saw her last, she looked pretty rough, as she had more and more over the past two years, but the photo in the orbituary reminded all of us how beautiful she'd been.